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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29905449">Sumire</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticxPanda/pseuds/CelticxPanda'>CelticxPanda</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The City is Contagious [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Late Night Conversations, Music, Pining, References to Previous Series Part, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Insert, Unrequited Crush, dewey decimal system</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:08:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,551</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29905449</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticxPanda/pseuds/CelticxPanda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Meg has some weird hang ups (but Donatello likes her taste in music).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Donatello (TMNT) &amp; Original Female Character(s), Donatello (TMNT)/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The City is Contagious [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2063859</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sumire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Donatello wasn’t the only one who thrived in a library with a major lack of security cameras. </p>
<p>Meg bopped around the shelves on another one of her rounds, pausing for dance breaks pretty much at the end of each row. Her music was loud enough to drown out just about anything, which probably wasn’t necessary in the silent library but Meg just didn’t like having to hear the sound of her own breathing, alright? </p>
<p>Of course, this meant that she didn’t hear Donatello approaching -- later than usual -- until he was basically standing right behind her. Even then, he had to reach out and tap her on the shoulder to get her attention. If it wasn’t for the fact that Meg had grown used to Donatello’s presence in the library, she probably would have freaked out on him like she did that one time. </p>
<p>“Hey, Donnie!” she said, lifting one of the speakers off her ears. “I didn’t think you were coming today, seeing how late it is.” </p>
<p>“Sorry, something came up at home,” Donatello apologized, looking a little sheepish.</p>
<p>“Hey man, no need to be sorry. I’m glad you showed up. I was bored.” Meg paused, tapping her headphones. “I mean, clearly.” </p>
<p>“Well that’s good,” he said with a smile. “I actually need your help finding some books tonight.” </p>
<p>“Sure, whatcha lookin’ for?” </p>
<p>“How much do you have on Japanese history?” </p>
<p>“Japanese history?” Meg echoed, crossing her arms in thought as she glanced down the rows of books. “Quite a bit. That’s gonna be 952. Here, I’ll take you there.” </p>
<p>“Thanks, Meg.”</p>
<p>Meg shot Donatello a grin over her shoulder. “No worries. It’s what I’m here for. Why the sudden interest? I mean, other than the obvious reason.” She waved her hand at his ninja get up.</p>
<p>“Something came up today that I wanted to do some research on,” Donatello explained vaguely, eyes scanning over the colorful spines of the books they passed. “I’m kind of impressed, though. You knew the number off the top of your head.”</p>
<p>“I don’t have the Dewey Decimal Classifications memorized, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Meg said, turning a corner. “I’m just a weeb, so that was one of the numbers I memorized.” </p>
<p>“What other numbers do you have memorized?” Donatello asked, ready to tease.</p>
<p>“910s are travel guides, cookbooks are under 641, folklore is under 398 but mythology is under 290s with comparative religion,” she rattled off quickly. “And that doesn’t include Ancient Greek plays, because those are in the 880s.” </p>
<p>“I still think that’s pretty impressive,” he insisted gently. </p>
<p>“Maybe,” Meg said, coming to a stop in front of a shelf. “But don’t ask me about like, psychology or self help books, because I have no fucking clue.” </p>
<p>“Well, good thing I don’t need those,” Donatello joked, stopping beside her and turning towards the shelf she was looking over. “Is this it?”</p>
<p>“This is the start, anyway,” she said, tapping the spine of a book. “From here -” she traveled down the shelves, coming to a stop several feet away and tapping at another book “--to here.”</p>
<p>“That’s quite a bit.”</p>
<p>“You should see our American history section,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “Let me know if you need anything else, I need to keep doing my rounds but I’ll be back in a moment to help you clean up the mess you’re bound to make.”</p>
<p>“I apologize in advance,” Donatello joked, already pulling a book off the shelf. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donatello set about his research, Meg disappearing among the shelves. He wasn’t sure how much time passed, but eventually Meg came wandering back down the aisle, seemingly forgetting that Donatello was there. At least, that’s what he assumed since she neither greeted him nor acknowledged his presence in any way. He watched as her eyes passed over the books on the shelves, periodically reaching out to shift a book or two around. </p>
<p>It was as she was doing this that he heard her sing along to whatever song she was lost in at the moment.</p>
<p>
  <em>“It's an alliteration,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Punks and Poets,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Praying for no pain~”</em>
</p>
<p>Donatello couldn’t exactly say she was good at singing. There was something raw and clearly untrained about her voice and her inability to keep on key -- whatever that key happened to be. Still, this was a side to Meg he hadn’t yet seen -- the side she didn’t show anyone. This was who she was when no one was around. </p>
<p>As if he wasn’t infatuated enough already. </p>
<p>“What are you listening to?” he asked.</p>
<p>Meg’s attention snapped in his direction, eyes wide and mouth open with an unsung line on the tip of her tongue. “What?”</p>
<p>“You were singing,” Donatello said gently. “I wanted to know what song it was.”</p>
<p>“Oh, shit, was that out loud?” Meg asked. “Sorry about your ear drums. That probably wasn’t pleasant.” </p>
<p>“It wasn’t unpleasant.”</p>
<p>“‘Wasn’t unpleasant’, he says,” Meg muttered with a roll of her eyes. Without bothering to answer his question, she reached for the books that he’d discarded in piles around himself. “Find what you needed?”</p>
<p>Donatello decided he wouldn't hold her dancing around his question against her. “Not particularly. I might need your help finding books on some other subjects.”</p>
<p>“Lay it on me,” Meg said, sliding a few books back into their proper place.</p>
<p>“Japanese mysticism and weaponsmithing.” </p>
<p>Meg paused, turning and blinking owlishly at him. “I beg your pardon?” </p>
<p>“I know it probably sounds strange…”</p>
<p>“Well, I mean, you are a turtle ninja dude,” Meg pointed out. “Basically everything about you is kinda strange, so we’ll just pass over that bit.” </p>
<p>She shoved a chunk of books back into place all at once before turning back towards the way she’d come, frowning. “Uh, I guess mysticism would be in...metaphysics? That’s in the 100s, so that’s clear on the opposite side of the library. And I have no idea about weaponsmithing, but I can check in our system and see if anything pops up.” </p>
<p>“Thanks.” </p>
<p>Meg led him back through the library, and it wasn’t long before he heard her singing under her breath, trying to hide her voice from him. There was no hiding the bounce in her step as she half-danced-half-walked down the rows of books. </p>
<p>
  <em>“Who said it's beautiful, </em>
  <br/>
  <em>Why don't we know?</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Cut down a flower in bloom,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>What’s the use?”</em>
</p>
<p>“You still haven’t told me what song you’re listening to,” Donatello reminded her.</p>
<p>And Meg continued to ignore his question, tapping a shelf next to her. “Here’s the 130s, that’s occult stuff. Down a few shelves is the 110s for that metaphysical nonsense. Idunno which section your mysticism would be in, but it’s probably one of those. I’m gonna run to the desk and see if I can’t find any of that weaponsmithing stuff you want. Be right back.” </p>
<p>Donatello watched her as she left, wondering if he’d done something wrong. Or maybe she was just embarrassed at being caught singing. She clearly didn’t have much confidence in herself in that regard. Granted, she wasn’t good at it, but neither were a lot of people who didn’t mind at all. </p>
<p>Donatello sighed, turning his attention to the shelves. He hoped he didn’t make her uncomfortable. Perhaps it would be better if he just didn’t mention his curiosity about the song for now. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meg returned after just a few moments, frowning. “Alright, I got some bad news. We ain’t got nothin’ on weaponsmithing here. We got some shit on blacksmithing, but that’s more about like, horseshoe making and shit. Sorry.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it,” Donatello assured her. “It was a stretch.”</p>
<p>“Considering the lack of fucking mess around you, I assume you didn’t find much on the mysticism either,” she observed, crossing her arms. </p>
<p>“Not so much,” Donatello agreed. “I should have probably figured, but I wanted to check anyway.” </p>
<p>“Probably for the best anyway,” Meg teased with a grin “You left plenty of mess in the history section for me to clean up; I didn’t want to travel all over the library picking up after you.” </p>
<p>“I said I apologize in advance,” Donatello argued mildly, matching Meg’s grin with one of his own. “Consider it job security.”</p>
<p>“Bitch, who’s gonna fire me? Ain’t nobody else is gonna take this shift.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donatello returned to the lair, feeling a bit bad to be coming back from his trip mostly empty handed. Master Splinter brushed off his concern, assuring him there was nothing to be sorry about. He’d already risked his safety in his attempt to research, and that was more than Splinter could ask for.</p>
<p>Donatello was not about to correct him on how much risk he was taking.</p>
<p>Collapsing into the chair at his workstation, Donatello’s mind drifted back to the lyrics he’d heard Meg singing. Curious, he reached for his keyboard.</p>
<p>“Punks and Poets,” he muttered to himself, typing the lyrics into the search bar. His eyes widened at the youtube video that popped up. “Well, I guess I should thank her for telling me the title without meaning to.”</p>
<p>He clicked the link, letting the smooth vibes of the song wash over him. Say what you will about her voice, Donatello couldn’t argue with Meg’s taste in music. </p>
<p><em>It's just a hopeful destination, </em> <br/><em>Saints and sinners, </em><br/><em>They're laughing all the same~</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>To explain the title: 'sumire' is the Japanese name for violet flowers. In floriography, the flower could mean faithfulness, 'I'll always be true', or 'let's take a chance'. </p>
<p>As for the song Meg accidentally recommends to Donatello, you can listen to it here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbFCfYfInqE">Punks and Poets by Elliot Root</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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